What is the biggest advantage to going to an "elite" school? Forum

[ahnhub]

Just curious to know what really makes us want to go to the highest-ranked school possible.

There are obviously lots of advantages to going to a T-14 over a 3rd-tier school. But what I'm really curious is what makes people feel like going to a T-14 is a good investment and a reasonable choice, while TTTs are out of the question:

1) is it because 60% of T-14 students will get a job through OCI, while maybe 5% of TTT students will?
2) or is it because the strength of a T-14 degree and everything that comes with it (alumni network, superior Career Office, better connections, simply the fact that employers will be impressed by the name of the school on a resume) makes it more likely that the T-14 student will meet their career goals, regardless of how they fare at OCI?

[lawschoolgrapedme]

its both. they two options are one in the same. because of all the advantages that having the name offers, you get a job through oci

[09042014]

No it's definitely not that you'll get a job at a T14. It's the scholarship of the professors. Worth every penny.

[JamMasterJ]

No it's definitely not that you'll get a job at a T14. It's the scholarship of the professors. Worth every penny.

Yeah, it's definitely a combination, but if I had to pick one, it's jobs in general and OCI in particular

[JamMasterJ]

No it's definitely not that you'll get a job at a T14. It's the scholarship of the professors. Worth every penny.

Yeah, it's definitely a combination, but if I had to pick one, it's jobs in general and OCI in particular

[JamMasterJ]

No it's definitely not that you'll get a job at a T14. It's the scholarship of the professors. Worth every penny.

Yeah, it's definitely a combination, but if I had to pick one, it's jobs in general and OCI in particular

[ahnhub]

So I guess maybe phrased this way it makes more sense:


Scenario 1: A T-14 student and a TTT student are each about to go into OCI. The T-14 student has a 60% chance of landing a job, the TTT student has a 5-10% chance of landing a job. The advantage here is HUGE.

Scenario 2: A T-14 student and a TTT student have each failed to find a job at OCI. From this point on, do you think the "advantage gap" has closed, and if so by how much? Do you think they're kind of both sorta in the same boat from this point on, or is there still a massive advantage for the T-14 student?

[vanwinkle]

So I guess maybe phrased this way it makes more sense:


Scenario 1: A T-14 student and a TTT student are each about to go into OCI. The T-14 student has a 60% chance of landing a job, the TTT student has a 5-10% chance of landing a job. The advantage here is HUGE.

Scenario 2: A T-14 student and a TTT student have each failed to find a job at OCI. From this point on, do you think the "advantage gap" has closed, and if so by how much? Do you think they're kind of both sorta in the same boat from this point on, or is there still a massive advantage for the T-14 student?

In scenario 2, the no-offered student would likely go to their school's career services office, or professors they have a good relationship with, or alumni for advice. The T14 will have more alumni in prominent positions that they can lean on to find their student a job, and that network is spread out across the country. The TTT will have fewer total alumni connections to lean on, and almost none outside its primary market.

The T14 will also be more likely to have an endowment large enough to fund fellowships/stipends for post-graduate pro bono work. I know a couple of people who graduated a T14 unemployed, worked for a PI org under a short-term stipend from their T14, then found work as an experienced attorney. That's nerve-wracking since you're living on a clock until you find permanent work, but it's better than nothing at all.

[shoeshine]

The T14 will also be more likely to have an endowment large enough to fund fellowships/stipends for post-graduate pro bono work. I know a couple of people who graduated a T14 unemployed, worked for a PI org under a short-term stipend from their T14, then found work as an experienced attorney. That's nerve-wracking since you're living on a clock until you find permanent work, but it's better than nothing at all.

This. It happens more than people think.

I met someone from my T14 who graduated with sub-par grades in 2010 and did this. She was just hired by a big law firm.

There is no one single track to employment. There are just some that are more traveled than others.